4.4 Case studies: developing decision making skills in diverse  (Page 5/5)

Appendix

Case Studies: Decision-Making Model

Use the following model and rubric to guide you in developing your case study responses. Ensure that your response follows this format. (This model and rubric were retrieved 7/22/2008 from (External Link) )

Steps in the Decision-Making Process

Identify the ISSUE that needs to be addressed

• Consider many possible explanations of what is happening, including inherent assumptions within each
• Deduce fundamental underlying nature of problem
• Seek an appropriate amount and nature of data in order to make the decision
• Identify the desired goals that define the scope and scale of necessary decision
• Deduce additional data needed
• Identify team of people who should become involved

Identify the guiding principles you will apply as CRITERIA to the decision making process

• Identify appropriate guiding professional (declarative) knowledge
• Identify appropriate guidance to be derived from school goals and mission
• Identify dispositions that influence thinking

Identify ALTERNATIVES with associated opportunities and constraints and analyze their merits using the guiding principles

• Consider alternatives that address problem/issue
• Allow for new and creative ideas
• Identify opportunities and constraints for each alternative
• Analyze alternatives using guiding principles and stakeholders’ perspectives

Select the best alternative DECISION for the context and create a plan.

• Select alternative most consistent with guiding principles
• Create a plan of action

Questions for Discussion

1. Describe what you determined to be the fundamental issue in this case and how you arrived at that interpretation. Who were the other people you thought should become involved in addressing this issue? What data sources did you consider key and how did you make sense of them?
2. Summarize the criteria you selected regarding the school goals and mission, professional (declarative) knowledge, and dispositions. Explain how these will guide your decision making.
3. What school- or community-based programs, practices, tools, structures, procedures, policies, systems, and so forth create opportunities and constraints in the consideration of alternative solutions?
4. How did the facts of the case and your criteria come together in how you formulated your next steps to (1) set direction, (2) develop people, and (3) make the organization work?
5. Did your conception of the issue change throughout the case? If so, what factor influenced the change? How could systems of the school be established or what could become more routinized to improve the ability of the school to deal with this issue in the future? What values drove the decision-making process?

Case Scoring Rubric